Fear of darkness

I'm reaching out because I'm struggling with a phobia that has been affecting my life more and more. I have a fear of darkness. For as long as I can remember, I've been terrified of the dark. Even as an adult, this fear hasn't gone away it has only grown stronger. It's gotten to the point where I can't sleep without some kind of light on, which makes it difficult for me to rest properly.

Whenever I'm in a dark room, I feel like I can't breathe. I know logically that there's nothing there, but my mind keeps imagining all sorts of terrifying scenarios. This has made it hard for me to do simple things, like going down to the basement or even taking a walk at night (!!!). Even watching a movie with dark scenes can set off my anxiety.

I've read a bit about achluophobia online, but there isn't much information out there. It seems like a rare phobia, and I haven't found many people who understand what I'm going through. I feel really isolated because of this.

Has anyone here struggled with achluophobia or something similar? How do you manage your daily life with this fear? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read my post.